Erik ten Hag faces a difficult choice about how to fill Ajax’s number 10 position against Borussia Dortmund. The trainer will have Antony available again on Tuesday, who will probably replace Steven Berghuis as right winger. The question is whether Berghuis will move on to the position of attacking midfielder, or whether Davy Klaassen will be preferred. Jan van Halst suggests Rondo however another solution.
“Can he also play instead of Gravenberch?”, the analyst asks himself on Sunday evening, referring to Klaassen. In that situation, Klaassen would be deployed as a controlling midfielder, presumably next to Edson Álvarez. “Of course he can play there”, Ronald de Boer responds, “but it will be a change with Berghuis.” De Boer has no doubts that Antony, who cannot be used on Saturday against sc Heerenveen (0-2 victory), because he later returned from his international obligations, will return to the base.
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Davy Klaassen is fit again, but competitor Steven Berghuis was so good in that position… Who is ‘on 10’ @AFCAjax against Dortmund?
Phillip Cocu is happy that he doesn’t have to choose: ‘But I think Ten Hag chooses Berghuis.’#RONDO pic.twitter.com/Aisgh3vTpE
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) October 17, 2021
“Antony will definitely play. You must have weapons, you must have speed and depth. That is the case with Antony,” explains De Boer, who suspects that Berghuis will be preferred over Klaassen as an attacking midfielder. “I don’t think Ten Hag will just switch. He can say to Klaassen: ‘Sorry, you were injured and Berghuis is doing great, he has not let me down, so please be patient.’ But yes, Klaassen has done a great job in the Dutch national team. It will be a difficult choice.”
Klaassen started the season as an attacking midfielder, but was replaced by Berghuis in September due to a groin injury. He is now fit again; last Friday he shot the the Dutch to a 0-1 victory over Latvia. “It’s just a luxury problem,” says Phillip Cocu, also present at the program. “I think Berghuis has filled it in very well. He took his chance as number 10. That definitely speaks for him. My feeling is that Erik ten Hag will choose Berghuis.”